An Unexpected Proposal
by NatyBarbosa
Summary: Oneshot story. In a wedding party in Pallet Town, Gary says something very mean to Misty, who is devastated. However, Ash comforts her and ends up making one of the most important decisions of his life. Picture from HollyLu.


_Thanks for being here! I really hope you enjoy this short story and have fun! Oh, and sorry for my english! If you have critics or any suggestions, feel free to comment here! :D_

The celebrations in the little Pallet Town were famous for being simple, but unforgettable. And, like every small and country town, all of the population were invited to the parties. This time, this farmer's daughter was going to marry a young man from the Orange Islands and they decided to make the wedding near this lake which runs through the city, on a beautiful spring afternoon, where all the flowers were open and giving off their scent.

Inside Ketchum's house, everyone were getting ready to go the ceremony location, excited, of course, with the abundance of food that was always present in all city's parties. Obviously, Ash's stomach was starting to say "hello".

As a sixteen-year-old boy, Ash thought that it was essential to eat every five minutes to become a Pokémon Master and he also uses to said that food gives him energy to become the very best (like eating would really help a person to become a Pokémon Master. Ash just refused to admit that he was a big glutton). While he was adjusting Pikachu's little tie, Professor Oak arrived with Tracey to take them to the ceremony location in his car.

"Are you all ready?" asked Professor.

"The girls are late, like always," grumbled Ash, petting Pikachu "Brock is in the bathroom training flirts in the mirror. Doesn't anyone care about my stomach? If we wait another five minutes, all food will be over!"

"Don't worry, Ash," laughed Tracey "The food will be there only after the ceremony."

"Hm… Good!" Ash sniffed, serious.

Brock finally came back from the bathroom, looking very confident of himself and his flirts and everyone, each using a suit, sat on the sofa, waiting for Mrs. Ketchum and Misty to come. Ten seconds later, a wild Ash's mother appears (sorry, I couldn't resist) wearing a beautiful long dress and clapping her hands, saying in a very serious tone:

"All right, I want you all to make good compliments about Misty, 'cause she told me that she'd never wore a party dress before and she's not feeling so secure. Especially you, Ash Ketchum, no jokes."

Ash was ready to say something back, when Mrs. Ketchum called Misty and the girl appeared. And, no one needed to pretend when they saw her in a wonderful flowery light pink dress. But, the factor that most surprised her friends was that her hair was loose, not in her typical ponytail.

Misty was so blushed that was almost mixed with her ginger hair, but her face became blusher when she looked at Ash, whom was with wide-eyes.

Unintentionally, Misty trembled of fear that Ash was thinking that she was looking weird and ridiculous. Ash already had a joke in the tip of his tongue to make fun of Misty before she came, but when he saw her dressed like that, all he could say was… Nothing. He was speechless. He had never seen her like that before, and man, he really thought she was beautiful.

All the compliments were true.

Before entering in the car, Ash and Misty were the last ones to leave the house. Misty came closer to Ash and whispered, nervously:

"I-it's funny, don't you think? I'm not used to go to parties, and less used to be dressed like that."

Ash didn't understand what was happening inside his chest. He was finding it very weird that lately his heart started to beat faster when he was with Misty. But today, looks like it was dancing. Trying not to stutter, while petting Pikachu he replied:

"Well… I-I think you look very pretty. To be honest, I think it's a little impossible for you to be ugly".

Misty's heartbeat got a little faster than normally and like a medicine for her insecurity, she felt relieved. For her, all the other compliments didn't mean anything compared to this.

"Oh, Ash" she replied, getting blushed "You look really cute in this suit, you know?"

The boy smiled, looking down as he scratched his head and finally, he couldn't answer anything.

Arriving at the party saloon, they realizes that most of the chairs were occupied and, after a while, Ash and Misty ended sitting in the back of the saloon. Misty noticed that sometimes, Ash was looking at her and got all blushed when she caught him. A beautiful song started to play and the wedding ceremony began.

They saw the bridesmaids and groomsmen and finally, the bride was coming in. The Wedding March started to play and everyone admired the bride's beauty. She was wearing a long and beautiful white silk dress, which one day belonged to her mother, her grandmother and even her great grandmother.

"Oh my God!" exclaimed Misty, covering her mouth "She's so pretty! Look at this bouquet! These are the most gorgeous flowers, are they from Pallet, Ash?"

"Yeah," said Ash, smiling "Mom helped to harvest them."

"That's cute…" sighed Misty, sparkling her eyes "You know, when I get married, I'll want to have a wonderful bouquet, full of lilies, orchids and roses!"

Ash really didn't know what to answer, what should a boy say when a girl starts to talk about wedding stuff? "Help?", maybe.

When he decided that the answer would be "I'll help you to harvest the flowers" (which is something he thought it was an appropriate answer), a certain familiar voice echoed from the front seat.

"-Oh, I knew I knew this shrill little voice from somewhere" said Gary Oak, better known as the Ash's rival (which, if you don't remember, he also wants to become a Pokémon Master).

The boy looked back and faced Ash and Misty, measuring both from top to bottom.

"Did you lose something, Gary?" asked Ash, starting to get very angry for being interrupted.

"Really, Misty?", said Gary, ignoring Ash completely "The way you are, do you think one day you will get married?"

"What do you mean?!" asked Misty "Is there, by any chance, something unmarriable about me?"

"Well… Maybe there is… Maybe, everything?" replied Gary, laughing so out loud that some people looked back.

Ash could not understand how a person could be that annoying and made a lot of strength to not give a punch on Gary's face. Ash looked at Misty and realized that what Gary's said really hurt his friend and wished he could do something for her. When he was about to open his mouth to talk, Gary interrupted him, again.

"I think you should give up, Misty" Gary continued, trying to hold his laugh "You scare everyone who passes nearby. No one will never want to marry someone like you." Finishing this sentence, Gary turned around, suddenly looking very interested in the ceremony that was happening in the front of the saloon.

Ash looked at Misty, whom was with a horrible expression. He saw that a tear dropped from her eyes and she was getting blushed, trying not to cry.

"No one will never want to marry someone like… Me?" Whispered Misty, looking at the floor, trembling from head to foot.

"Misty…" Ash said, putting his hand on her shoulder. Even Pikachu tried to call her.

"Leave me, Ash." Suddenly, Misty widened her big blue eyes and ran past him, out of the saloon.

"Are you idiot?!" Ash exclaimed to Gary, whom turned around with an expression that nothing had happened.

Ash couldn't stand it. He closed his right fist and punched Gary on the face. Good think they were sitting on the back of the saloon and just a few people saw the turmoil.

"Misty!" exclaimed Ash "Pikachu, stay here, I'll be right back!"

"Pi-pikachu" replied his friend, worried.

Ash ran toward the direction he saw Misty running, calling her name, leaving Gary bleeding. Gary's idiot face made Ash completely satisfied.

"MISTY!" now Ash screamed, despairingly "Where are you?!"

It didn't take so long to hear a little weeping coming from behind the saloon. When Ash saw Misty, his heart couldn't bear it. His best friend was sitting on the floor, covering her face with her hands, crying softly.

"Oh, Misty," Ash reached down and put his hands on her shoulders "Please, don't listen to what Gary's said. He likes to make fun of people, that stupid guy!"

The girl took a deep breath and looked up, revealing that her eyes were red for crying. She wiped her tears, sobbing a little.

"I'm not sad because _Gary_ told me that, I don't care about him," said Misty, now sitting on her knees and looking deeply at Ash's eyes "I'm sad about **what** he's said, that I'll never get married."

"Don't care about it," said Ash, softly and holding her little chin "Of course you'll get married someday. Please, don't be like that…"

 _(I hardly suggest that from here, you listen the song 'Meeting and Parting' from Pokémon Soundtrack, I think it fits very well!)_

"B-but," stuttered Misty "But what if he is right? What if I am so horrible that no one will never want to marry me? What if, what if I be alone forever? While everybody has someone to love for the rest of their lives?" Misty couldn't endure it and started to cry.

"No, Misty!" exclaimed Ash, lifting his friend's head and coming closer "This won't happen, I couldn't be more sure that someday someone will want to marry you, oh yes!"

"But who, Ash?!" Misty yelled, desperate "Who will want to marry me?!"

Ash seemed to take a deep breath and courage enough to say what he felt and what, deep inside, he wanted:

"Me."

Misty widened her big blue eyes even more, completely stunned by the sudden and totally unexpected answer from the friend who she had known for so long.

"You? You will… Marry me? What do you mean?" her voice was failing.

"Yes, Misty! I will" Ash never was so sure of something in all of his life.

"But…"

"No _but_ , Misty," he clasped his hands in hers "We will grow up one day and we're so going to get married, oh yes. Don't listen to what Gary's said, really. He only did that to hurt you."

"Oh, Ash! Are you serious?" the girl seemed not to believe in those words that for a long time, she wanted to hear. Even though she didn't know or suspected this deep feeling of her heart.

"Yes, I am. And we will show to that dumb Gary that we can be amazing together, Misty!"

"Wow, Ash… I've never thought that someone would do something like this for me one day…" Misty couldn't hold herself anymore and hugged her friend with a strength that she's never had before "Thank you _so_ much!"

"Don't worry…" Ash hugged her back, closely "You'll never be alone, Misty… I promise."

"You too, Ash… I promise as well."

And after these words, Misty couldn't hold her tears.

But, in this time, it was happy tears.


End file.
